Patents hint at a fast telephoto lens for Micro Four Thirds

The Micro Four Thirds lens lineup is pretty excellent as it is. If it could use anything, though, it’d be some high-quality reach.

A new patent granted by the US Patent Office earlier this month reveals that Panasonic has designed something to fit that bill: A 100mm f/2 lens, possibly a macro optic. There are plenty of budget telephoto zooms for the Micro Four Thirds system, as well as the high-end Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8 zoom. The Olympus 75mm f/1.8 offers some reach as well. Olympus has also unveiled a "pro" 300mm f/4 monster. But this new design could be quite powerful, and might not carry as hefty a price tag as long, fast zoom lenses would.

The Olympus 300mm f/4 pro lens for Micro Four Thirds, announced in February 2014.

Some other interesting lenses appear in the patent as well. 43 Rumors thinks that two of them could be the current 25mm f/1.4 Leica (though the new design has optical stabilization) and the 42.5mm f/1.4 Nocticron. But there are as-yet unknown 64mm f/1.8 and 34mm f/1.8 designs in there as well.

The usual disclaimers apply: These are just patents, no real lenses have been produced based on these designs that we know of, and they may never, ever be produced for all we know. But it’s fun to speculate, no?